Poinsettia plant named ‘PER510’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER510’, characterized by its uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; mid-season flowering response; under natural season conditions, plants flower in late November in Southern California; large inflorescences with dark pink-colored flower bracts; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER510’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER510’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Poinsettia plants having large inflorescences with attractive flower bracts and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant originated is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1139’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,180. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘PER1139’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. on Jul. 17, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since January, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER510’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER510’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Mid-season flowering response; under natural season         conditions, plants flower in late November in Southern         California.     -   6. Large inflorescences with dark pink-colored flower bracts.     -   7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘PER1139’, in flower bract color as plants of ‘PER1139’ have dark red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Peterstar Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,879. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia had a more upright branching         habit than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered two days earlier than         plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ when grown under natural season         conditions.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER6406’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,388. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘PER6406’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were not as vigorous as plants         of ‘PER6406’.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered three days earlier than         plants of ‘PER6406’ when grown under natural season conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER510’ grown in a container. The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER510’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following description were grown during the winter in 16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. and under natural season conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 17° C. and light levels ranged from 3,500 to 4,500 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were 18 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER510’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia     pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1139’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     22,180. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one to two weeks at 20° C.             night temperature and 27° C. day temperature.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             16° C. night temperature and 20° C. day temperature.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright and mounded plant             habit; inverted triangle; large inflorescences positioned             above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 51 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about seven lateral branches develop after pinching.             Length: About 29 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length:             About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 146A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Aspect:             Flat. Length: About 11.7 cm. Width: About 8.1 cm. Shape:             Narrowly ovate to broadly lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire, occasionally with three to five             shallow lobes. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Sparsely pubescent. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to N137C. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than             N137A; venation, close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to N137D; venation, close to 147C. Petiole:             Length: About 5.8 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 177B. Color, lower surface: Close to 152B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia; inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane.         -   Quantity of inflorescence.—One inflorescence develops per             lateral branch.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Mid-season flowering response; under             natural season conditions, plants typically flower on             November 23^(rd) in Southern California; under artificial             long nyctoperiod/short photoperiod conditions, plants flower             about 8.5 weeks later.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;             plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and             flower bract color for about four weeks under interior             conditions; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 30 cm. Height (depth):             About 12.4 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 16 to 17.             Length, largest bracts: About 15 cm. Width, largest bracts:             About 12.1 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to broadly lanceolate.             Apex: Acuminate. Base: Rounded to attenuate. Margin: Entire,             occasionally with three to five rounded lobes. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Mostly             horizontal; oldest bracts recurved towards the apex.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color: Developing or             transitional bracts, upper surface: Initially close to 137A;             with development, becoming closer to 153C with splotches,             close to 48A. Developing or transitional bracts, lower             surface: Close to 146B and 39B. Fully expanded bracts, upper             surface: Close to 53B to 53C; venation, close to 53B to 53C;             color fading to 181C with development. Fully expanded             bracts, lower surface: Close to 51B; venation, close to 51B;             color becoming closer to 51C with development. Bract             petiole: Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 181A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 15. Length: About 9 mm.             Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: Close to             146B. Color, mature: Close to 146C.         -   Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 4.5 mm.             Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 31B tinted             with close to 33A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to outwardly.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             five. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to             N34A. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: Close to N34A. Amount of pollen: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 7B. Pistils: Pistil development has             not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. Seeds and             fruits: Seed and fruit production have not been observed on             plants of the new Poinsettia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettia plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about     29° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER510’ as illustrated and described. 